I've recently had more success shrinking hats in the oven when I do NOT wet the cap.

I don't know if I have shrunk a hat an entire size before using the oven. I wear a 7 5/8 and I have had success shrinking down a bigger 7 5/8, meaning it was between a 7 5/8 and a 7 3/4. I would not buy a 7 3/4 with the assumption I could shrink it a whole size. With a wool hat, yes, but not with a polyester.

If you really like your older, wool Sox hat you should just find a replacement for it on eBay. The wool hats are so much easier to re-size and shape than the polyester hats.

Also, getting made in the USA polyester makes a HUGE difference when it comes to breaking it in.

How long and what temp did you do in the oven without wetting? I was doing 350 oF for 10 min at a time.

I liked the wool better but the poly doesn't bother me much...it's the sizing that's all weird now. I guess it serves me right for ordering it online instead of in a store to try it on .

Which websites/stores have USA-made polys? I want to stay away from imported ones.

300F for anywhere from 5-10 minutes. I sometimes I have to repeat the process 2-3 times. I've found some polys shrink better than others. Most of the shrinking comes after the first heating.

If you're looking for a USA made, polyester, Red Sox hat, you might want to try the local Lids store.

I may try it one more time without wetting it. It's already gone through ~3-4 cycles in the oven where I wet it and baked at 300 oF for 10 min (I was wrong above when I said 350). Although at this point I wonder if it's just not going to shrink any more?

It may shrink a bit more, but it has probably already done most of the shrinking it is going to do.

That's what I figured. Looks like maybe I should buy a hat in a smaller size for everyday wear and relegate this one to my beater hat.

USA made hats should fit fairly true to size. That being said, definitely worth trying them on. If you do order online, you may want to consider ordering more than one and keeping whichever one fits best and returning the other. I used to have a Shoprunner account, which entitled me to free returns with MLB Shop. I would order two of each hat and keep the best one. I could easily ship the other one back for free. I don't have Shoprunner anymore. When I order from Lids, I do the same thing, but instead of shipping back the hat you do not want, you can just return it to a store. Pretty easy.

That's what I figured. Looks like maybe I should buy a hat in a smaller size for everyday wear and relegate this one to my beater hat.

USA made hats should fit fairly true to size. That being said, definitely worth trying them on. If you do order online, you may want to consider ordering more than one and keeping whichever one fits best and returning the other. I used to have a Shoprunner account, which entitled me to free returns with MLB Shop. I would order two of each hat and keep the best one. I could easily ship the other one back for free. I don't have Shoprunner anymore. When I order from Lids, I do the same thing, but instead of shipping back the hat you do not want, you can just return it to a store. Pretty easy.

An FYI to people using the oven for shrinking poly: be careful when shrinking the older poly, the kind that's super-soft not as thick as current poly. I put one of those in the oven after a few Cool Bases and it probably shrank twice as much as the Cool Bases with the same temp and time. I immediately Hat Jacked it and it seems to work well as a low crown cap now but I'll definitely be more careful with this kind of poly in the future.

I had heard that the Cool Base poly shrinks but nothing about the early poly so this came as kind of a surprise to me. I've had no trouble with the Cool Base caps myself.

For those who aren't familiar with the poly I'm describing, here's a shot of the tags to look out for:

Thanks for the information, Guy. I will keep that in mind. Maybe I can try a 7 3/4 with the old poly?

I find the poly hats from that era fit pretty true to size. I can buy a 7 5/8 and it fits perfectly. Unlike the current hats, where I have to shrink my 7 5/8 slightly.

Really? I've never bought a 7 1/2 from that era since I got burned with a couple 7 1/2 Cool Bases that were unwearable. My 7 5/8 early poly's have all fit in the same range as Cool Bases for me so I've never bothered trying a 7 1/2. Now that I know they shrink, I'll probably be sticking with size up.

And I suspect someone with a slightly bigger head than mine could get away with shrinking a 7 3/4 early poly if they all shrink like this last one of mine. I bet you'd love the fit after shrinking and Hat Jacking too, it's as close as you can get to the AC wool fit with poly in my experience. The old poly gives a little, like wool, so it's not uncomfortable even if the crown is so low that it's pressing against your temple.

I've had an oversized Chromaflex cap for a while now but was always hesitant to put it in the oven since I wasn't sure how the patch would handle it and it's a tough cap to replace. Finally caved since I was never wearing the thing and figured I didn't have much to lose. Anyway, it shrank perfectly and is now probably one of my best caps.

I've had an oversized Chromaflex cap for a while now but was always hesitant to put it in the oven since I wasn't sure how the patch would handle it and it's a tough cap to replace. Finally caved since I was never wearing the thing and figured I didn't have much to lose. Anyway, it shrank perfectly and is now probably one of my best caps.

The "oven method" can be a blessing and a curse! Glad it worked out, Guy.

Glad it worked! As anyone who has tired it can probably attest, results can vary. I've had some hats shrink a ton and some not shrink at all.

Are you an REM fan? I ask because of your username.

It worked almost to perfection. I say "almost" because I had to put it back in the oven for ten more minutes after the first try. After the second go-round the cap fits perfectly. My oven uses gas, and I read back through the thread and saw that someone had posted that with gas ovens the process may take a little longer.

Yes, I'm a big R.E.M. fan and have always loved that song (which for some reason doesn't receive many mentions when discussing R.E.M). Coincidentally, today's the 37th anniversary of the band's first performance.

Glad it worked! As anyone who has tired it can probably attest, results can vary. I've had some hats shrink a ton and some not shrink at all.

Are you an REM fan? I ask because of your username.

It worked almost to perfection. I say "almost" because I had to put it back in the oven for ten more minutes after the first try. After the second go-round the cap fits perfectly. My oven uses gas, and I read back through the thread and saw that someone had posted that with gas ovens the process may take a little longer.

Yes, I'm a big R.E.M. fan and have always loved that song (which for some reason doesn't receive many mentions when discussing R.E.M). Coincidentally, today's the 37th anniversary of the band's first performance.

I have a gas oven too. I find it varies. Some hats shrink perfectly after a few minutes and some do take several attempts. I also find some hats heat up really quickly, while others can sit in the oven for 10 minutes and still aren't nearly as hot. Best just to standby while using this method and check constantly.

I like Wendell Gee because of the banjo. I also like "Good Advices" off that album. What's the Frequency, Kenneth? is the first song I ever learned on guitar.

I have a gas oven too. I find it varies. Some hats shrink perfectly after a few minutes and some do take several attempts. I also find some hats heat up really quickly, while others can sit in the oven for 10 minutes and still aren't nearly as hot. Best just to standby while using this method and check constantly.

I like Wendell Gee because of the banjo. I also like "Good Advices" off that album. What's the Frequency, Kenneth? is the first song I ever learned on guitar.

Yeah, I used the timer on my phone and stood nearby during the process. I'd read in one of these threads that the hats are extremely hot when taken out of the oven, but mine was not. I tried my cap on again last night and am still amazed over how perfectly it fits now. I love the cap - it's the royal blue Brewers "mb" cap like the one worn in the 1980s and early 1990s.

I promise I was also going to mention the banjo in "Wendell Gee." As a Southerner I like R.E.M.'s early country sound, which is prominent in that song. "Good Advices" is a beautiful song and is also one of my favorites from "Fables of the Reconstruction." "Kohoutek" is another one that doesn't get much attention, but it's a beautiful song.

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